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It's a testament to Alan Moore's talent as a writer that he was able to earnestly pay homage to the silver age of comics while also creating a sort of prologue for what is to come afterwards, add layers and layers of meaning to the story and doing it in less than 50 pages! Outstanding.
@Logan Waltz To each their own. I find Moore hit or miss. I like some of his work and I dislike other things he has done. His Supreme and his Tom Strong work is not in his normal deconstruction of the superhero mythology that a lot of his work is about.
@@diddymuck I remember seeing a documentary about Alan Moore and his distaste for adaptations of comic books, his mostly. He described that Watchmen proved that only some stories can be effectively told in comic format. He then went on to describe the scene in Watchmen where Ozymandius poisoned the scientists, and how you could build a scene without destroying the payoff. (I cannot remember where I saw him do this, and he describes it far better than I could ever do) Alan Moore is a artist that tries to evoke emotions with his work, and I don't think any could deny that he achieves that quite successfully... Sadly not always the one he was aiming to portray.
@@alexmansfield3268 I like SA Superman. This version was the most OP version of the character ever drawn and written. It would be mistake to let this version go. Golden Age and Bronze Age couldn't get close to this kind of power. Hate to see him go.
@@ericmadsen9655 they can't really kill him off , they find a way to bring him back. He's forever, but just a made up character to gives everyone a gleem of hope. 😉
This was the only comic that ever moved me to tears. The best send off to the first superhero. What took Grant Morrison 12 issues to do.. Alan Moore accomplished in simply two issues.
Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow is classic Moore. It’s simultaneously dark, campy, complex, and yet magically simple. I love Moore’s darker stories but Moore’s incredible respect for the Superman and what he represents makes me wish Moore never became so cynical we could get more stories like Whatever Happened.
The only way that could have happened is if DC gave the Watchmen rights back to Moore right when the first TPB collections sold out. Once free of their clutches, Moore could have let the story be reprinted by another publisher.
Curt Swan is the longest and best Superman artist, his art doesn’t work for any other DC character. His art is just exactly what I expect for a Superman comic, I can’t express how much respect I have for him.
It is very interesting how there are several renditions of how Superman's finale should look, with the most notable being this story, Kingdom Come and All-Star. Each version touches on a different angle of the character but all of them share that hopeful and heroic essence that makes the character so great.
I can't decide on weather I prefer this story or all star superman. I like to think of this story as an end for the silver age superman pre-crisis, while all-star superman is the end of clark as superman as a whole.
I was thinking DC Universe or HBO Max exclusive 6 episode miniseries where each episode is a different iconic, campy yet earnest, Silver Age Superman comic and the final two episodes or final hour long finale, is Whatever Happened To The Man of Tomorrow. Launch (preferably weekly) online streaming tv series to get viewers used to what the appeal of Silver Age Superman was, and why he was so beloved, only to have it all tragically pulled down around him. And hey, with this approach maybe we could get an adaptation of one of those Silver Age Bizarro-Earth stories or that famous comic where Superman adaopts teenaged cub reporter Jimmy Olsen and starts emotionally abusing him in over-the-top way (really _any_ of those Silver Age “Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen” comics would be worth adapting, they just reveled in humiliating Jimmy in strange and often hilarious ways).
I love Supes as a character in all his forms; yet, I've always felt like Chris Reeve was my live action Superman, and Curt Swan's was my Superman on the page. People talk about guys like Neal Adams being groundbreaking, but for his time, Swan was the man.
Yeah, Swan was “the” Superman artist for me as well, and Adams IS my favorite Batman artist. A lot of the current artists draw these hulked out humans when for me anyway, Christopher Reeve WAS Superman. He had the look, the personality, his CK was pretty spot on..the last two CR films should have been a lot better, but for a lot of people, He was the live action Superman for two decades. Strangely enough, I really like the 1950s George Reeves’ Superman as well. Dean Cain’s 1990s Superman, a little too cheesy at times. The Superboy live action series, while not great, did keep him in the spotlight. Just my two cents.
In his book about the Silver Age, Arlen Schumer lists six great artists from that era. In alphabetical order, they are Adams, Ditko, Infantino, (Gil) Kane, Kirby and Kubert. They transformed the medium by innovating how comic are made. Swan was never much for innovation, but no one surpasses him for good, old-fashioned illustrative storytelling in the tradition of Alex Raymond. He was the standard-bearer for that style of comics art from the sixties right up until the late eighties.
These are the Superman stories that really make me love him. I always got told he's lame, he's overpowered, he isn't relatable. But that's all bullshit. Superman despite his amazing abilities and stalwart dedication to his morales and mission is more human than many non super-powered heroes. Just a man, trying to do good and make the world better. He's loved. He's lost. He's triumphed. But despite it all continues to fight. It's so rare you see the hero get to retire. It just shows that when someone truly understands Superman, his stories are second to none.
Well Said! I have to admit, I used to be one of those people back in the day, but in the last 10 years I’ve REALLY come to appreciate and adore the character. Superman is definitely one of my too p 3 superheroes.
Still a touching, worthy end to this version of the character and his world, all in mere two issues. I especially like him finishing his character development by retiring and settling with Lois. Now, this wouldn't work with the modern guy (maybe semi-retire once his descendants are old enough, while still helping out when needed) but for Pre-Crisis guy, I think it's pretty much perfect. As hilariously psychotic his relationship with Lois was in Silver Age, it was shown that despite his avoidance, he did want to marry her deep down and would be happy if he did. And Bronze Age introduced the idea that he actually overestimates how much people rely on him and how much they are capable of without him and that he desires a normal life, but thinks he can't due to his duty. Him accepting (conveniently, after all his villains are dead) he can is to me far better than him dying heroically or some such. It's rather ironic that this is all significant exposure of Pre-Crisis Superman (I really don't get leaving out Bronze Age like some people do) most people get. While I don't think you really need to, the story does have a lot of little touches you won't notice if you haven't, like Vartox crying over Lana.
Up until the last fifteen years or so it was typical to list the entire period from 1958 to 1985 as the "Silver Age" for DC Comics. The reason was the continuity of the up was the same. (ie it is the same version of the character in both periods) This way the Silver Age began with Barry Allen and ended with his death) . The Bronze Age clearly has its own feel but again its history was an extension of the silver.
Moore threw in everything, even the kitchen sink, and managed to make a story that is not merely coherent, but freakin' awesome. Simply naming the characters who appear in this story would take up a whole comment in and of itself. It is simply incredible and serves as a fitting capstone to the character of the "Silver Age Superman".
"superman is boring and not relatable" *The death and reign of superman* *Whatever happened to the man of tomorrow* *For the man who has everything* *All star superman*
Hey it’s Josh! Man, do I love a good Superman video. It must’ve been interesting reading this book during its time. Seeing a character make a distinct turn into a new era in real time. For the lack of a better term. Great video, Matt! It’s good to have you back.
Thanks, my dude! Yeah, it would have been wild to see it all happening. I experienced different reboots in real time, but nothing on the scale of COIE and it’s fallout.
Stuff like this and Supreme is why I don’t buy and never have bought that Alan Moore truly hates superheroes, despite his recent comments. No one with a hatred of the genre could write stories this pure and loving.
I like to think this story as the final adventure of Chris Reeve Superman. I know Returns its kinda of the final adventure and thanks to Crisis, we know that he became the Kingdom Come Superman version but i think this comic is the perfect finale. Superman I,II,III and Whatever happened to the man of tomorrow.
'We're only second-stringers, Jimmy, but we'll show 'em...nobody loved him better than us. Nobody!' Man, if that line doesn't get you right here...by the way, any chance of doing a video on 'Superman: Secret Identity' by Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen some day, please?
Such fond memories of the time before I read this story and after. Those were my comic years. I check in on my favorites once in a while, but I don’t recognize them anymore. It’s a whole new DC comics for a whole new generation…which isn’t a bad thing. Thanks for this episode
The superman we actually forgot. His new earth counterpart died, and when a new superman showed up, byrnes version, he retired by taking blue kryptonite. became a car mechanic. japanese superman also retired, had a daughter Ako with lois.
Matt, your information about Curt Swan never drawing another complete Superman story is incorrect...in 1990-1991, Curt was given the chance to come back for Curt Swan Month and fully drew all three parts of the Sinbad story that arced between Superman, Adventures of Superman, and Action Comics, which was then fullowed up by his sort of return to the character when he became the regular penciler of the Superboy/Adventures of Superboy TV Tie-In comic.
This is the Superman l grew up with. The man of tomorrow, maybe not cutting edge. But a man of a different time. His dog Krypto. I dog any kid would want. A coworker, friend who is more clever than she seems. For with love, we always see more than our sense can tell. A young friend, buddy, younger brother. With the true nature, the definition of best friend. And Villian that were not so bad. Whose quarks were negative tp say the least. But still taught the young, a difference between what is right & wrong! Do l miss him. Yes! But he is still alive. For he is a great part, of a young man, from decades ago. And lives inside of my mind.
I've thought this since it came out. I tried, but I never could get into the stuff that came after, not Superman or any of the rest of standard DC heroes. Crisis killed it for me, whether it's split between silver and bronze or all just the silver age, it was my time.
I'm mostly with you. But, I think there are occasional bright spots over the years. Kelly, Morrison, and Mark Waid each had a fleetingly brilliant moment with the character. But seriously, check out Peter Tomasi's relatively recent run on Superman. Tomasi decided to make him a dad, raising a preteen super-son with Lois. And I can't believe the creatives at DC hadn't thought of this turn for the character decades ago. There's always been a kind of "dadness" in the essence of Superman that was maybe a little dissonant with the perpetual bachelor reporter of the Silver Age. His corny one-liners, practical advice, protective instinct, all slide into a certain harmony with each other as Clark the super-dad. Then Brian Bendis (who I actually usually like pretty well) decided to come in and blow the whole thing up because there were stories he'd been itching to tell his whole life, and getting total control over Superman was part of his signing deal with DC. I've read some of it, it's not... bad? But I really think the magic is over yet again.
These stories were pure Alan Moore. They touched on most of the characters and the way they were. He brought out that sense of urgency that the silver age brought when the crises were deadly. All brought to an end with the blink of an eye!
i love this story. I'm glad to own both issues in near mint condition. Not worth much since they printed so many of them, but still i'm proud to own them.
I never actually thought about it until now but I really like how Smallville sorta took this ending and applied to Clark in their show (albeit with some differences) as seen in CW's Crisis on Infinite Earths.
This, I have always argued was the definitive Superman story. At the time I was reading it I was only aware of the post Crisis John Byrne Superman. I ignorantly dismissed Silver Age Superman as stupid and silly but after reading that I realized just how immersive, imaginative, fully realized a world pre Crisis Superman had. And the characterization of Superman as the best of what humanity should aspire to become. This story establishes Superman as a mythical figure.
Alan Moore for all the dark and realistic stuff he writes and say, he definitely is a fan of Superman. He sees that Superman needs to be smiles and do right no matter how unpopular it is.
Matt, I've read so many great comics thanks to you, so it feels like I owe you the following recommendation. Just yesterday I've finished Descender and it might just be the deepest, most epic and emotional comic Jeff Lemire has ever written. And knowing that we both want more than just entertainment from our stories, I know you will enjoy it!
I've heard it said that aspects of Final Crisis were a Take That! to the supposed deconstructionism of this story. Alan Moore may be the High Wizard God-King-Emperor of Deconstruction, but this story was a love letter, plain and simple.
I agree that the Silver-Age version is "the" Superman, but I'd say the Byrne reboot up through around Infinite Crisis or so was not at all a deconstruction but a genuine attempt to pay homage to the past while modernizing things. Yes, there were some things changed for seemingly arbitrary reasons, but mostly that was just to get people's attention. DC had already revamped and energized Superman in 1982 with Marv Wolfman and Gil Kane in Action Comics, and with genuinely awesome results, but the typical Marvel fans wouldn't give it a fair chance because the Silver-Age Superman had a bit of a stigma at that time (this was completely unfair, but it happened).
Silver age Superman (my Superman) became so powerful and so righteously good, that DC believed that the new age reader could not relate to him anymore and therefore the change. I disagreed but have to admit that some of the affiliated characters had become pretty ridiculous and weakened the overall series.
You know what the dumbest thing about the reboot was? Making Superman a younger character than everyone else. Even though they deemed it fit not to erase just about every other character's Justice League membership, he joined for the first time in 1992, just before Doomsday. But still, everyone was supposed to look up to him, even though in the new continuity Ted Kord and Booster Gold and everyone else had more experience than him. Why was he supposed to be the icon everyone looked up to when he had less powers than 75 percent of the continuity and less experience than 95? (Besides the fact that in the pre-crisis continuity it was more like the other way around. They treated him like he was the same character he was before John Byrne made him easier for uncreative writers.)
Snyder was telling how Superman began, he wasn't a perfect Mary sue like some say or want him to be. He was a real down to earth guy that just happens to be able to do the impossible just like Superman should be. There were no easy answers for him ever, contrast that to the Justice League version who takes out the bad guy who'd been owning everyone up to that point without breaking a sweat. Both are Superman but one just had other people besides Lois and Ma Kent to talk to something Snyder was also working towards.
This story should be made to a future DC Universe PG rated animated movie starring Tim Daly Kevin Conroy Dana Delany Clancy Brown and a stellar acting voice cast
Dear Matt, why don't you do a video on Crisis on Infinite Earths ? Your comic book analysis and essays are the best I've found on the whole Internet Keep up the good work!
I think the artwork of Superman are my favorite in this book. I also thought it was odd that Jordan said that Superman was too wrapped up in himself, which was the opposite of my interpretation. Yet, Alan Moore can't be wrong, so...
If you can, maybe you could do a review on secret origins issue 1 which featured the story of the golden age (earth 2) superman. which rapped up the original superman's story just like the silver age version. as both issues summed up to me that the golden and silver age of comics had truly come to an end.
just glad alan moore of all people gave clark a happy ending, free of power and responsibilty besides raising his coal crushing son. fun also that the tone is pretty modern, and the end to the camping silver age.
Thinking about Curt Swan, just a couple days ago I was trapped in an exchange with two people who wouldn't stop about how Superman couldn't make a good story. Because, because, because... Some of this is because of how iconic Swan was. As far as I'm concerned though, that's one facet of Superman's appeal. And anyone who thinks a good Superman story can't be told is just incredibly wrong.
Byrne's Superman was good, but the reboot really became special after Byrne left and we got Roger Stern, then Ordway, Jurgens then Perez each as a writer/artist in turn. From Byrne until the death were probably the best superhero comics on the stands.
Man of Steel pretty much was a wonderful way to take an over-powered character that was hard to write for and write out everything that made him unique. I'm actually surprised Byrne didn't write out his heat vision. Thanks to Byrne, the only memorable post-crisis Superman stories were annuals, noncanonical, and his appearances in other books. Hell, even his run as a flash of lightning was better than pretty much any Byrne book.
I read that the when Superman in his silver age origin arrived on Earth, he immediately had his powers. Considering his adult version would go on to showcase unlimited strength, this baby could still probably break planets. Naturally John Kent was afraid of him and had nightmares where he saw Clark taking over Earth (like he would go on to in several major post crisis stories). But they lost that fear when they saw Clark break down in tears at the death of a dog, because he could literally see the life force leave the animal. As campy of an idea as that is, I love it. It perfectly explains why Clark is so dedicated to protecting life, and why he’ll always use his powers for good. He literally sees life in a more personal sense than anyone else. It’s like that one quality is enough to make someone trustworthy with the power to move galaxies and destroy solar systems. And this is just the writers showing you why he’s the greatest hero in comics. Because when push came to shove he lived up to his beliefs and renounced the powers of a god, because he killed someone. Magnificent.
Great video. I like how for all the darkness Alan Moore tends to incorporate in his stories, it’s nice how in “Whatever Happened to the Man of the Tomorrow” while he does his dark elements, it’s definitely a much more hopeful story as Superman should be. Sorry if I’m commenting late. I was at Midtown Comics getting my Daredevil trades signed by Brian Michael Bendis himself. So worth the wait. Oh and you were right about Sweet Tooth, it’s amazing.
Superman had an "imaginary" before this, written by one of the creators, on Steve Shives channel there's a video called the first death of superman. In the thumbnail Superman is green. I don't know if you already know it bc this comment waa 2 years ago
I miss the optimistic charm of the Silver Age. The hope for a better world. I despise the dark and brooding modern age. I want larger-than-life superheroes giving humanity a glimpse of a better world, not super heroes just barely surviving the latest multi-verse shattering crisis.
The one thing that's always gotten me about that story is what it reveals about Superman, the paradoxical nature of his virtues. Paradoxical, because those virtures are also his greatest vices. Superman has this code against killing. Yet he knows that if Mxyzptlk isn't dealt with he will kill without mercy. Superman kills him. This is Superman's virtue. He saw a need, he saw what had to be done. He saw what would be the immorality of holding to his code when millions of lives would be lost, and he was willing to do what needed to be done. But then he gets so guilted up and sacrifices his powers to atone for what he thinks is the great evil he has done. What he never stops to think of, before making an irreversible decision, is what is he going to do when some other mighty menace comes to call? He saved millions of lives by killing Mxyzptlk. But by taking away his powers, how many billions will he have murdered by not being able to stop the next menace when (not if) they come. Superman's decision is close to be being criminal, and morally self-indulgent at the least.
Great to see people talking about this, as I grew up in the silver age of comics, and the team of Swanderson (Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson) were the definitive Superman artist for me. Yes, there have been others that I liked, but they were the ones that brought Superman to life for me, all the way to how Christopher Reeve portrayed him on the big screen. Thanks for the great video.
I've actually been reading some old Swan Superman stories this week. One thing that really hit me was how well he captured realistic emotion in his characters. He didn't draw with impact that knocked you over like Neal Adams did because that wasn't his style. What Swan did was to connect the reader to the characters in a personal way. He made them real in ways that they probably didn't deserve to be in some of the more outlandish scripts of the day. Nobody in comics has ever drawn more realistic emotion than Swan.
Thanks, and I think you hit right on why I liked Swans version of Superman, as he made him feel a lot more like a real person behind the cape, and also agree that his faces were some of the best, following on from Wayne Borings style of very fixed poses (like running through the air)
What about the end of the Silver Age Batman? It started in Batman #300, where Robin is an adult and has twins and Bruce Wayne stops being Batman to become Gotham's mayor.
Detective Comics #574 was technically the absolute end of Silver Age Batman because the following issue was the beginning of Year Two, which is basically when Detective Comics officially switched to the Post-Crisis continuity. Some cite Batman #400 as his final appearance, but Year One didn't begin until Batman #404. You can tell it's still the Silver Age Batman in the late 1986 and early 1987 stories because Jason Todd is still a Dick Grayson clone and Catwoman's heroic career comes to an end.
The truth is that it's really saying goodbye to the Bronze Age Superman because as we see in Superman & Batman World's Funnest a.k.a. Superman and Batman World's Funniest there are 2 Earth-1 continuities The S.A. for Silver Age and The B.A. for Bronze Age because as we even see in the end when Batmite of whom is of The S.A. appears before The B.A. Batman he asks him "Who are you?" Yes and just as in the 1989 Batman Movie when the Joker's Goon asks "who are you?"He then say's I'm Batman this character was first known and as seen on toy doll packages as The Joker's Stooge but that's not p.c. but neither is the Joker's Goon so maybe some other title like The Joker's subordinate or the Joker's man.
I love this channel. I knew there was something going on with the violence that drives the story almost as if the violence and grittiness of the times invaded the comic book world, announcing a change from imaginary tales to serious and real tales.
Yeah a lot of people like to pretend like the Bronze Age of comics didn't happen. From the 1970s to crisis on infinite Earth that's when they were reducing everyone's powers to try and tell stories with more weight and suspense to them
I can’t get enough of these videos. Would love to see an Analysis on: Watchmen Batman New 52 Usagi Yojimbo The Umbrella Academy Spider man by JMS Frank Miller’s Ronin Daydripper And Chew
Occasionally I'll see people complain about this story. They all tend to fall into one of two camps: A. It's too dark. B. It's too campy. To everyone that thinks it's too dark: Alan Moore took a story that was supposed to be a heartrending farewell and gave it hope, unlike John Byrne and Zach Snyder who made origin stories for SUPERMAN depressing. To everyone that thought it was too campy: Superman is a super-powered man with a flying dog that wears a little red cape. Superman isn't for you.
thank you. a forgotten chapter in all the lee kirby, starlin, xmen, and other stars in the firmament. those curt swan superman stories are really quite beautiful.
Special thanks to Josh from Panels to Pixels! Please go check out his awesome channel and subscribe if you haven't already. ruclips.net/channel/UCFZHvUVELqH56dJiMLhD9qg
Matt Draper so are you going to do a universal monsters series on this Halloween?
I legitimately thought you were actually doing an English impression until later
It's a testament to Alan Moore's talent as a writer that he was able to earnestly pay homage to the silver age of comics while also creating a sort of prologue for what is to come afterwards, add layers and layers of meaning to the story and doing it in less than 50 pages! Outstanding.
His work on Supreme is also an homage to Superman of the Silver Age.
@Logan Waltz To each their own. I find Moore hit or miss. I like some of his work and I dislike other things he has done. His Supreme and his Tom Strong work is not in his normal deconstruction of the superhero mythology that a lot of his work is about.
I loved V for Vendetta and enjoyed his work on Tom Strong. He is notice terrible writer but can be hit and miss.
he still messed up the Spirit movie like a tomato in a blender
@@diddymuck I remember seeing a documentary about Alan Moore and his distaste for adaptations of comic books, his mostly.
He described that Watchmen proved that only some stories can be effectively told in comic format. He then went on to describe the scene in Watchmen where Ozymandius poisoned the scientists, and how you could build a scene without destroying the payoff. (I cannot remember where I saw him do this, and he describes it far better than I could ever do)
Alan Moore is a artist that tries to evoke emotions with his work, and I don't think any could deny that he achieves that quite successfully... Sadly not always the one he was aiming to portray.
“This is an imaginary story, but aren’t they all”. Legendary writing by Mr. Moore.
Reading it in British accent was weirdly funny LOL
@Logan Waltz yeah
@Logan Waltz It may sound pretentious, but it's true.
@Logan Waltz Hard not to be pretentious when you're the best in the world.
@@tygrkhat4087 How does it sound pretentious? I never got that.
He was the man of tomorrow until tomorrow passed him by.
- Kingdom Come
Title: say goodbye to the silver age Superman.
Grant Morrison: NEVEEER!!!
Too be fair all star superman is literally referred as the greatest super man story, so grant Morrison earned the right to hold unto the silver age
@@alexmansfield3268 I like SA Superman. This version was the most OP version of the character ever drawn and written. It would be mistake to let this version go. Golden Age and Bronze Age couldn't get close to this kind of power. Hate to see him go.
@@ericmadsen9655 they can't really kill him off , they find a way to bring him back. He's forever, but just a made up character to gives everyone a gleem of hope. 😉
Eric Madsen WAS the most powerful...now ya got CA Superman and fucking Milkmanman lol.
What did Grant Morrison do?
This was the only comic that ever moved me to tears. The best send off to the first superhero. What took Grant Morrison 12 issues to do.. Alan Moore accomplished in simply two issues.
Which storyline by morrison are you referring to? I need something to read.
@@antondelacruz9362 I think they might mean all star superman
@@Bethynaee ohh thanks.
That photo of Superman going into the gold kryptonite room is just absolutely iconic
Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow is classic Moore. It’s simultaneously dark, campy, complex, and yet magically simple. I love Moore’s darker stories but Moore’s incredible respect for the Superman and what he represents makes me wish Moore never became so cynical we could get more stories like Whatever Happened.
@Stellvia Heonheim and thats his best trait
have you read Moore's Supreme comics?
J. Kingman no that’s one of the few Moore works I haven’t read
@@nicholaskatsikas4904 Tom Strong might be up your alley.
The only way that could have happened is if DC gave the Watchmen rights back to Moore right when the first TPB collections sold out. Once free of their clutches, Moore could have let the story be reprinted by another publisher.
Curt Swan is the longest and best Superman artist, his art doesn’t work for any other DC character. His art is just exactly what I expect for a Superman comic, I can’t express how much respect I have for him.
One of my all time favourite comics, as told by one of my favourite people!
MY MAN!
It is very interesting how there are several renditions of how Superman's finale should look, with the most notable being this story, Kingdom Come and All-Star. Each version touches on a different angle of the character but all of them share that hopeful and heroic essence that makes the character so great.
I can't decide on weather I prefer this story or all star superman. I like to think of this story as an end for the silver age superman pre-crisis, while all-star superman is the end of clark as superman as a whole.
@@ProjektTaku kingdom come is the best
@@jmgonzales7701 that is pretty good, but I slightly prefer this since its more contained to superman.
@@ProjektTaku sure
This story should be adapted in to an animated movie.
I was thinking DC Universe or HBO Max exclusive 6 episode miniseries where each episode is a different iconic, campy yet earnest, Silver Age Superman comic and the final two episodes or final hour long finale, is Whatever Happened To The Man of Tomorrow. Launch (preferably weekly) online streaming tv series to get viewers used to what the appeal of Silver Age Superman was, and why he was so beloved, only to have it all tragically pulled down around him. And hey, with this approach maybe we could get an adaptation of one of those Silver Age Bizarro-Earth stories or that famous comic where Superman adaopts teenaged cub reporter Jimmy Olsen and starts emotionally abusing him in over-the-top way (really _any_ of those Silver Age “Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen” comics would be worth adapting, they just reveled in humiliating Jimmy in strange and often hilarious ways).
And the animation should resemble the Superfriends era.
@@VickStarkiller No. It needs to be a little more fluid than that.
Carlos Alazraqui would be an incredible Mr. Mxyzptlk voice actor.
@@Popcultureguy3000 and the animation would look like in the superman 75 anniversary short.
I love Supes as a character in all his forms; yet, I've always felt like Chris Reeve was my live action Superman, and Curt Swan's was my Superman on the page. People talk about guys like Neal Adams being groundbreaking, but for his time, Swan was the man.
Yeah, Swan was “the” Superman artist for me as well, and Adams IS my favorite Batman artist. A lot of the current artists draw these hulked out humans when for me anyway, Christopher Reeve WAS Superman. He had the look, the personality, his CK was pretty spot on..the last two CR films should have been a lot better, but for a lot of people, He was the live action Superman for two decades.
Strangely enough, I really like the 1950s George Reeves’ Superman as well. Dean Cain’s 1990s Superman, a little too cheesy at times.
The Superboy live action series, while not great, did keep him in the spotlight.
Just my two cents.
In his book about the Silver Age, Arlen Schumer lists six great artists from that era. In alphabetical order, they are Adams, Ditko, Infantino, (Gil) Kane, Kirby and Kubert. They transformed the medium by innovating how comic are made. Swan was never much for innovation, but no one surpasses him for good, old-fashioned illustrative storytelling in the tradition of Alex Raymond. He was the standard-bearer for that style of comics art from the sixties right up until the late eighties.
I remember buying both of these at my local shop. They are prizes of my collection. Deeply-felt stories that I adore!
Thank you for your review!
Very cool David ✔️
These are the Superman stories that really make me love him. I always got told he's lame, he's overpowered, he isn't relatable. But that's all bullshit. Superman despite his amazing abilities and stalwart dedication to his morales and mission is more human than many non super-powered heroes. Just a man, trying to do good and make the world better. He's loved. He's lost. He's triumphed. But despite it all continues to fight. It's so rare you see the hero get to retire. It just shows that when someone truly understands Superman, his stories are second to none.
Well Said! I have to admit, I used to be one of those people back in the day, but in the last 10 years I’ve REALLY come to appreciate and adore the character. Superman is definitely one of my too p 3 superheroes.
Unfortunately, it seems that movie directors often don't
@christopher rivera It is very boring and too powerful, normal that nobody likes it
Still a touching, worthy end to this version of the character and his world, all in mere two issues. I especially like him finishing his character development by retiring and settling with Lois. Now, this wouldn't work with the modern guy (maybe semi-retire once his descendants are old enough, while still helping out when needed) but for Pre-Crisis guy, I think it's pretty much perfect. As hilariously psychotic his relationship with Lois was in Silver Age, it was shown that despite his avoidance, he did want to marry her deep down and would be happy if he did. And Bronze Age introduced the idea that he actually overestimates how much people rely on him and how much they are capable of without him and that he desires a normal life, but thinks he can't due to his duty. Him accepting (conveniently, after all his villains are dead) he can is to me far better than him dying heroically or some such.
It's rather ironic that this is all significant exposure of Pre-Crisis Superman (I really don't get leaving out Bronze Age like some people do) most people get. While I don't think you really need to, the story does have a lot of little touches you won't notice if you haven't, like Vartox crying over Lana.
Up until the last fifteen years or so it was typical to list the entire period from 1958 to 1985 as the "Silver Age" for DC Comics. The reason was the continuity of the up was the same. (ie it is the same version of the character in both periods) This way the Silver Age began with Barry Allen and ended with his death) . The Bronze Age clearly has its own feel but again its history was an extension of the silver.
@@jp1701A I know, but it's still weird to me. Like, in Silver Age, Aquaman literally named his son Aquababy. In Bronze Age, Aquababy got murdered.
I remember the first time I read this story as a kid.
I think it might have been the first time I ever cried at a fictional story.
Yes silver age supes is the best
Moore threw in everything, even the kitchen sink, and managed to make a story that is not merely coherent, but freakin' awesome. Simply naming the characters who appear in this story would take up a whole comment in and of itself. It is simply incredible and serves as a fitting capstone to the character of the "Silver Age Superman".
Loved the Curt Swan Superman's wink at the end of the stories, always recognizing the audience being there.
Superman sometimes had this fourth wall breaking aspect to him. In the first movie, he literally smiles at the camera as he flies away.
Who cried when Krypto died? Oh come on, nobody cried when Krypto died,,, I cried my eyes out.
everyone cried when krypto died you idiot
I had no attachment to krypto. I love dogs though
Nice 'Stripes' riff.
That was a pretty hardcore death.
As a fan of his cartoon series, I cried.
"superman is boring and not relatable"
*The death and reign of superman*
*Whatever happened to the man of tomorrow*
*For the man who has everything*
*All star superman*
The best comic book youtuber covering one of the best comics of all time?
Nice
Hey it’s Josh! Man, do I love a good Superman video. It must’ve been interesting reading this book during its time. Seeing a character make a distinct turn into a new era in real time. For the lack of a better term. Great video, Matt! It’s good to have you back.
Thanks, my dude! Yeah, it would have been wild to see it all happening. I experienced different reboots in real time, but nothing on the scale of COIE and it’s fallout.
Stuff like this and Supreme is why I don’t buy and never have bought that Alan Moore truly hates superheroes, despite his recent comments. No one with a hatred of the genre could write stories this pure and loving.
Maybe Moore did love superheroes once upon a time. Now he's just a bitter old man
This is one of my favorite Superman stories ever. You played it hard Moore.
I like to think this story as the final adventure of Chris Reeve Superman. I know Returns its kinda of the final adventure and thanks to Crisis, we know that he became the Kingdom Come Superman version but i think this comic is the perfect finale. Superman I,II,III and Whatever happened to the man of tomorrow.
Curt Swan's art may be dated, but he'll always be my favorite Superman artist.
'We're only second-stringers, Jimmy, but we'll show 'em...nobody loved him better than us. Nobody!'
Man, if that line doesn't get you right here...by the way, any chance of doing a video on 'Superman: Secret Identity' by Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen some day, please?
One of MANY superb Alan Moore works
you always make great videos matt, this one pulled my heartstrings, keep it up, the collaboration with josh was pretty cool
Such fond memories of the time before I read this story and after. Those were my comic years. I check in on my favorites once in a while, but I don’t recognize them anymore. It’s a whole new DC comics for a whole new generation…which isn’t a bad thing. Thanks for this episode
The superman we actually forgot. His new earth counterpart died, and when a new superman showed up, byrnes version, he retired by taking blue kryptonite. became a car mechanic.
japanese superman also retired, had a daughter Ako with lois.
This is perhaps my favorite ever Superman story.
Matt, your information about Curt Swan never drawing another complete Superman story is incorrect...in 1990-1991, Curt was given the chance to come back for Curt Swan Month and fully drew all three parts of the Sinbad story that arced between Superman, Adventures of Superman, and Action Comics, which was then fullowed up by his sort of return to the character when he became the regular penciler of the Superboy/Adventures of Superboy TV Tie-In comic.
This is the Superman l grew up with. The man of tomorrow, maybe not cutting edge.
But a man of a different time. His dog Krypto. I dog any kid would want. A coworker, friend who is more clever than she seems. For with love, we always see more than our sense can tell. A young friend, buddy, younger brother. With the true nature, the definition of best friend.
And Villian that were not so bad. Whose quarks were negative tp say the least. But still taught the young, a difference between what is right & wrong!
Do l miss him. Yes! But he is still alive. For he is a great part, of a young man, from decades ago. And lives inside of my mind.
I've thought this since it came out. I tried, but I never could get into the stuff that came after, not Superman or any of the rest of standard DC heroes. Crisis killed it for me, whether it's split between silver and bronze or all just the silver age, it was my time.
I'm mostly with you. But, I think there are occasional bright spots over the years. Kelly, Morrison, and Mark Waid each had a fleetingly brilliant moment with the character.
But seriously, check out Peter Tomasi's relatively recent run on Superman. Tomasi decided to make him a dad, raising a preteen super-son with Lois. And I can't believe the creatives at DC hadn't thought of this turn for the character decades ago. There's always been a kind of "dadness" in the essence of Superman that was maybe a little dissonant with the perpetual bachelor reporter of the Silver Age. His corny one-liners, practical advice, protective instinct, all slide into a certain harmony with each other as Clark the super-dad.
Then Brian Bendis (who I actually usually like pretty well) decided to come in and blow the whole thing up because there were stories he'd been itching to tell his whole life, and getting total control over Superman was part of his signing deal with DC. I've read some of it, it's not... bad? But I really think the magic is over yet again.
Man that sucks. I completely understand though. Had I been raised on the silver age it'd be difficult too.
I get it - Jordan Elliott = Jor El.
To me this is the definitive silver age Superman story one of my all time favorite superhero stories. Thanks for this review
These stories were pure Alan Moore. They touched on most of the characters and the way they were. He brought out that sense of urgency that the silver age brought when the crises were deadly. All brought to an end with the blink of an eye!
i love this story. I'm glad to own both issues in near mint condition. Not worth much since they printed so many of them, but still i'm proud to own them.
That got me all misty eyed.Thank you.
The ending makes me think of caps ending in endgame
Great job on covering the man of tomorrow.
I never actually thought about it until now but I really like how Smallville sorta took this ending and applied to Clark in their show (albeit with some differences) as seen in CW's Crisis on Infinite Earths.
This, I have always argued was the definitive Superman story. At the time I was reading it I was only aware of the post Crisis John Byrne Superman. I ignorantly dismissed Silver Age Superman as stupid and silly but after reading that I realized just how immersive, imaginative, fully realized a world pre Crisis Superman had. And the characterization of Superman as the best of what humanity should aspire to become. This story establishes Superman as a mythical figure.
Alan Moore was sounding more chirpy than usual in this interview.
Really great vid, Matt! Thanks for letting me be involved.
So glad you could be part of it! I think a slightly more chipper Moore is perfect for the Silver Age Superman.
Check out his run of Supreme AKA Moore's Silver Age Superman fanfic. Once upon a time, Moore genuinely loved the guy.
Alan Moore for all the dark and realistic stuff he writes and say, he definitely is a fan of Superman. He sees that Superman needs to be smiles and do right no matter how unpopular it is.
I loved those stories.
Superman: Lois my love, what do you think? *closes door*
*Porn sax starts blasting*
Clever way to finish the video, Matt.
Matt, I've read so many great comics thanks to you, so it feels like I owe you the following recommendation. Just yesterday I've finished Descender and it might just be the deepest, most epic and emotional comic Jeff Lemire has ever written. And knowing that we both want more than just entertainment from our stories, I know you will enjoy it!
It's been on my to-read list for a while. Thanks for recommendation!
You'll really need to read that series. I usually take a few weeks for a trade and I've read through those six in 5 days. 😱👀
My favourite comic of all-time.
What a great effort to produce such a magnificent episode.
I've heard it said that aspects of Final Crisis were a Take That! to the supposed deconstructionism of this story.
Alan Moore may be the High Wizard God-King-Emperor of Deconstruction, but this story was a love letter, plain and simple.
The Silver Age version is the real Superman. Everything after has been a series of malevolent attempts at deconstruction.
I agree that the Silver-Age version is "the" Superman, but I'd say the Byrne reboot up through around Infinite Crisis or so was not at all a deconstruction but a genuine attempt to pay homage to the past while modernizing things. Yes, there were some things changed for seemingly arbitrary reasons, but mostly that was just to get people's attention. DC had already revamped and energized Superman in 1982 with Marv Wolfman and Gil Kane in Action Comics, and with genuinely awesome results, but the typical Marvel fans wouldn't give it a fair chance because the Silver-Age Superman had a bit of a stigma at that time (this was completely unfair, but it happened).
Agreed!
Silver age Superman (my Superman) became so powerful and so righteously good, that DC believed that the new age reader could not relate to him anymore and therefore the change. I disagreed but have to admit that some of the affiliated characters had become pretty ridiculous and weakened the overall series.
You know what the dumbest thing about the reboot was? Making Superman a younger character than everyone else. Even though they deemed it fit not to erase just about every other character's Justice League membership, he joined for the first time in 1992, just before Doomsday. But still, everyone was supposed to look up to him, even though in the new continuity Ted Kord and Booster Gold and everyone else had more experience than him. Why was he supposed to be the icon everyone looked up to when he had less powers than 75 percent of the continuity and less experience than 95?
(Besides the fact that in the pre-crisis continuity it was more like the other way around. They treated him like he was the same character he was before John Byrne made him easier for uncreative writers.)
The pinnacle of Superman stories
Holy shit i just saw a video yesterday for this story and now it’s on today I think this is a very cool coincidence
Just read this.
Made me feel so many emotions, I felt glad when Superman won, sad when his friends died.
One of my favourite comics now!
Great video. I wish Snyder had taken hint from this when making Man of Steel.
I don't believe there's a silver age bone in that man's body.
Superman breaking the no killing rule seems influenced from here
Nicholas Maniccia Agreed, however Snyder’s take on the Man Of Steel is nothing like how he’s portrayed her.
Everybody complains about what Snyder did. If you have the guts, complain about what Nolan did idiot.
Snyder was telling how Superman began, he wasn't a perfect Mary sue like some say or want him to be. He was a real down to earth guy that just happens to be able to do the impossible just like Superman should be. There were no easy answers for him ever, contrast that to the Justice League version who takes out the bad guy who'd been owning everyone up to that point without breaking a sweat. Both are Superman but one just had other people besides Lois and Ma Kent to talk to something Snyder was also working towards.
Awesome essay!
This story should be made to a future DC Universe PG rated animated movie starring Tim Daly Kevin Conroy Dana Delany Clancy Brown and a stellar acting voice cast
Dear Matt, why don't you do a video on Crisis on Infinite Earths ?
Your comic book analysis and essays are the best I've found on the whole Internet
Keep up the good work!
YES MATTY I LOVE YOUR SUPERMAN VIDEOS!!
I saw that you had two videos done, if the other one is “what’s so funny about truth, justice and the American way” is next I’m there for that
That was a really good post !!!
Lois my love... I'm the comeback kid
Yessssss, you got it!
That was my Superman. (I never cared for what came after in the comics)
I think the artwork of Superman are my favorite in this book. I also thought it was odd that Jordan said that Superman was too wrapped up in himself, which was the opposite of my interpretation. Yet, Alan Moore can't be wrong, so...
Well done analysis. Thank you.
If you can, maybe you could do a review on secret origins issue 1 which featured the story of the golden age (earth 2) superman. which rapped up the original superman's story just like the silver age version. as both issues summed up to me that the golden and silver age of comics had truly come to an end.
This comic was the first appearance of Jon Kent aka super boy aka Superman son of Kal-El.
Superb video as usual Matt, keep up this amazing content dude, you deserve a million subs.
BRONZE Age... the Silver Age ended at DC with O'Neal and Adams on Green Lantern/Green Arrow and Kirby moving from Marvel. Still, great video!
just glad alan moore of all people gave clark a happy ending, free of power and responsibilty besides raising his coal crushing son.
fun also that the tone is pretty modern, and the end to the camping silver age.
11:00 so basically sliver age Jonathan Samuel Kent as a baby
And this Superman eventually return in convergence and doomsday clock
Thinking about Curt Swan, just a couple days ago I was trapped in an exchange with two people who wouldn't stop about how Superman couldn't make a good story. Because, because, because... Some of this is because of how iconic Swan was. As far as I'm concerned though, that's one facet of Superman's appeal. And anyone who thinks a good Superman story can't be told is just incredibly wrong.
End theme slaps my brother
Matt Draper can you make an essay about man of steel by John Byrne
I definitely want to cover it! Another story for another time.
John Bryne's art was amazing, the reboot story... Not so much.
Byrne's Superman was good, but the reboot really became special after Byrne left and we got Roger Stern, then Ordway, Jurgens then Perez each as a writer/artist in turn. From Byrne until the death were probably the best superhero comics on the stands.
Man of Steel pretty much was a wonderful way to take an over-powered character that was hard to write for and write out everything that made him unique. I'm actually surprised Byrne didn't write out his heat vision. Thanks to Byrne, the only memorable post-crisis Superman stories were annuals, noncanonical, and his appearances in other books. Hell, even his run as a flash of lightning was better than pretty much any Byrne book.
For worse. I miss all the characters of the Superman silver age. Whatever happen to letting comics be fun. Kids do still have that in them.
its only a matter of time until they adapt this into an animated movie like they did with Dark Knight Returns
I read that the when Superman in his silver age origin arrived on Earth, he immediately had his powers. Considering his adult version would go on to showcase unlimited strength, this baby could still probably break planets. Naturally John Kent was afraid of him and had nightmares where he saw Clark taking over Earth (like he would go on to in several major post crisis stories). But they lost that fear when they saw Clark break down in tears at the death of a dog, because he could literally see the life force leave the animal. As campy of an idea as that is, I love it. It perfectly explains why Clark is so dedicated to protecting life, and why he’ll always use his powers for good. He literally sees life in a more personal sense than anyone else. It’s like that one quality is enough to make someone trustworthy with the power to move galaxies and destroy solar systems. And this is just the writers showing you why he’s the greatest hero in comics. Because when push came to shove he lived up to his beliefs and renounced the powers of a god, because he killed someone. Magnificent.
Much earlier. When the 1st bar codes marred the cover in 1977 quality suffered and price went up...
Jordan Elliot looks like Matches Malone 🤣
Oh dang I read this one and what an ending 😢😢😢
Great video. I like how for all the darkness Alan Moore tends to incorporate in his stories, it’s nice how in “Whatever Happened to the Man of the Tomorrow” while he does his dark elements, it’s definitely a much more hopeful story as Superman should be.
Sorry if I’m commenting late. I was at Midtown Comics getting my Daredevil trades signed by Brian Michael Bendis himself. So worth the wait.
Oh and you were right about Sweet Tooth, it’s amazing.
That’s awesome! So cool you got those signed, it’s my favorite work from. Bendis.
Alan Moore never diapoints
I really love this story and Alan Moore, but man i'm so curious to see how Siegel would've ended it, i can't help but feel this was stolen from him
Superman had an "imaginary" before this, written by one of the creators, on Steve Shives channel there's a video called the first death of superman. In the thumbnail Superman is green. I don't know if you already know it bc this comment waa 2 years ago
Thank you Matt Draper for covering this. I love the channel!
I miss the optimistic charm of the Silver Age. The hope for a better world. I despise the dark and brooding modern age. I want larger-than-life superheroes giving humanity a glimpse of a better world, not super heroes just barely surviving the latest multi-verse shattering crisis.
Fr doe, this is such a good story
The one thing that's always gotten me about that story is what it reveals about Superman, the paradoxical nature of his virtues. Paradoxical, because those virtures are also his greatest vices. Superman has this code against killing. Yet he knows that if Mxyzptlk isn't dealt with he will kill without mercy. Superman kills him. This is Superman's virtue. He saw a need, he saw what had to be done. He saw what would be the immorality of holding to his code when millions of lives would be lost, and he was willing to do what needed to be done.
But then he gets so guilted up and sacrifices his powers to atone for what he thinks is the great evil he has done. What he never stops to think of, before making an irreversible decision, is what is he going to do when some other mighty menace comes to call? He saved millions of lives by killing Mxyzptlk. But by taking away his powers, how many billions will he have murdered by not being able to stop the next menace when (not if) they come. Superman's decision is close to be being criminal, and morally self-indulgent at the least.
Great to see people talking about this, as I grew up in the silver age of comics, and the team of Swanderson (Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson) were the definitive Superman artist for me. Yes, there have been others that I liked, but they were the ones that brought Superman to life for me, all the way to how Christopher Reeve portrayed him on the big screen. Thanks for the great video.
I've actually been reading some old Swan Superman stories this week. One thing that really hit me was how well he captured realistic emotion in his characters. He didn't draw with impact that knocked you over like Neal Adams did because that wasn't his style. What Swan did was to connect the reader to the characters in a personal way. He made them real in ways that they probably didn't deserve to be in some of the more outlandish scripts of the day. Nobody in comics has ever drawn more realistic emotion than Swan.
Thanks, and I think you hit right on why I liked Swans version of Superman, as he made him feel a lot more like a real person behind the cape, and also agree that his faces were some of the best, following on from Wayne Borings style of very fixed poses (like running through the air)
We would never see the Curt Swan Silver Age Superman again.
What about the end of the Silver Age Batman?
It started in Batman #300, where Robin is an adult and has twins and Bruce Wayne stops being Batman to become Gotham's mayor.
Detective Comics #574 was technically the absolute end of Silver Age Batman because the following issue was the beginning of Year Two, which is basically when Detective Comics officially switched to the Post-Crisis continuity. Some cite Batman #400 as his final appearance, but Year One didn't begin until Batman #404. You can tell it's still the Silver Age Batman in the late 1986 and early 1987 stories because Jason Todd is still a Dick Grayson clone and Catwoman's heroic career comes to an end.
The truth is that it's really saying goodbye to the Bronze Age Superman because as we see in Superman & Batman World's Funnest a.k.a. Superman and Batman World's Funniest there are 2 Earth-1 continuities The S.A. for Silver Age and The B.A. for Bronze Age because as we even see in the end when Batmite of whom is of The S.A. appears before The B.A. Batman he asks him "Who are you?" Yes and just as in the 1989 Batman Movie when the Joker's Goon asks "who are you?"He then say's I'm Batman this character was first known and as seen on toy doll packages as The Joker's Stooge but that's not p.c. but neither is the Joker's Goon so maybe some other title like The Joker's subordinate or the Joker's man.
The fact Superman has been depicted falsely and horribly by shit stories like Injustice Gods Among Us shows why mankind doesn't deserve Superman.
Wasn't this comic saying goodbye to the Bronze Age Superman? The Silver Age ended in the early 1970s.
I love this channel. I knew there was something going on with the violence that drives the story almost as if the violence and grittiness of the times invaded the comic book world, announcing a change from imaginary tales to serious and real tales.
Yeah a lot of people like to pretend like the Bronze Age of comics didn't happen. From the 1970s to crisis on infinite Earth that's when they were reducing everyone's powers to try and tell stories with more weight and suspense to them
I can’t get enough of these videos.
Would love to see an Analysis on:
Watchmen
Batman New 52
Usagi Yojimbo
The Umbrella Academy
Spider man by JMS
Frank Miller’s Ronin
Daydripper
And Chew
William Robinson Yes, Usagi is SO unknown and underrated as a character, Sakai is a beast writing and drawing him for decades now!
That story truly was a fitting end to the silver age of comics. Do you plan on doing a video on the Man of Steel comic series due to mentioning it.
Definitely! I had originally planned on covering that instead of this, but naturally gravitated to Whatever Happened as I prepped for my writing
@@MattDraperExcellent, thanks for the reply.
One of my favourite Superman comics. Anyone who still think Superman is "boring" owe it to themselves to read this classic.
Occasionally I'll see people complain about this story. They all tend to fall into one of two camps: A. It's too dark. B. It's too campy. To everyone that thinks it's too dark: Alan Moore took a story that was supposed to be a heartrending farewell and gave it hope, unlike John Byrne and Zach Snyder who made origin stories for SUPERMAN depressing. To everyone that thought it was too campy: Superman is a super-powered man with a flying dog that wears a little red cape. Superman isn't for you.
thank you. a forgotten chapter in all the lee kirby, starlin, xmen, and other stars in the firmament. those curt swan superman stories are really quite beautiful.